The Evolution of Your Thinking Through Jesus Christ

By M. Young

This book is about the mind of a believer evolving into the greatest level of understanding of who God is. It tells a story of how life experiences demonstrate the power of the Holy Spirit working through you, even when youre unaware. It brings awareness to understanding the child-like desire to know the true nature and character of God by forging an eternal relationship with Him. Its not a step by step program, but a relatable truth that highlights faith by the revelation of His word, which has been planted in the heart by God Himself. The Evolution of Your Thinking Through Jesus Christ teaches readers the finished work of Christ and how to live a new life as one of Gods people.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Oct 27, 2016
• ISBN: 9781512748499

M. Young

Greetings! I am a new author looking to spread knowledge to anyone looking to understand a trans man mentality, physically and spiritually. While living my life as a Trans man, this book has given me the power to press towards my higher self. I thank my wife Mellissa for inspiring me.

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Copyright © 2016 M. Young.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™ All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission." (www.Lockman.org)

Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture taken from the Amplified Bible, Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

WestBow Press

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

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ISBN: 978-1-5127-4850-5 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5127-4851-2 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-5127-4849-9 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2016910713

WestBow Press rev. date: 10/26/2016

Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1 Evolution

Chapter 2 A Foundation of Thinking

Chapter 3 God’s Design of Heart and Mind

Chapter 4 The Wellspring of Life

Chapter 5 Accepting Christ in the Heart

Chapter 6 The Intent of Thoughts

Chapter 7 New Covenant, New Thinking

Chapter 8 Elements That Shape Thoughts

Chapter 9 Unhealthy Thoughts Trigger Unhealthy Behavior

Chapter 10 Thoughts That Block Progress

Chapter 11 Your Thoughts Should Be Your Own

Chapter 12 Motives

Chapter 13 Emulating

Chapter 14 Heavenly Thinking

Chapter 15 The Heart and Mind of God

Chapter 16 The Evolution of Your Thinking

About the Author

Introduction

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

—Hebrews 4:12 NIV

T he Bible is the one source that speaks of a living God who came to share in the same life we experience. Jesus shared His wisdom about all things, especially the love and true character of God.

His life is an example of God’s righteousness, goodness, and glory. His death is a representation of God’s love for you. His resurrection is the new life He offers to you. And, His ascension is the power He left to dwell within you.

Without the true knowledge of God, it is impossible to understand these things. Although God is indeed the Creator, He has been viewed as an archaic idea rather than a being that is present in each of our lives.

His word has been described as stories instead of truth; His Son is described as a good man of good deeds instead of the Savior. These ideas are based on logic and reason, which do not signify with God.

God is a spirit and can only be identified in spirit and in truth. The truth is in His word, which He has written on your heart and mind so that you may know Him for yourself.

He has also provided the Bible as the resource for acquiring knowledge of Him. God has done this to make a relationship with Him easily accessible. It’s merely a matter of your desire for Him.

Most people do not know the truth about God and therefore choose to live a life separated from Him. If you can get your heart and mind in line with God by simply believing He is alive through Christ, then you can enjoy the fullness of life He has intended. Because of His goodness, everything He has is available to you, and He only gives good things.

If you choose God and believe everything He says in His word, then you choose a change of heart (given by Him). Acting on belief will transform you by changing your mind.

It’s foolish to believe that anything good we have ever conceived in thought and put into practice has come from our own unseasoned minds. Whether or not we are aware of or know the truth about God, He is the only power of goodness in our lives.

By understanding that God is the sole source of goodness, you’re able to understand that God only operates in love. Knowing God is love should reveal that God loves you as you are. God is holy, perfect, and alive. Anything you have experienced, read, or learned that would have you believe otherwise is a lie.

God has revealed these characteristics through the life of His Son, Jesus. However, because His identity has been diminished to that of a mere man (whom we put on the same level as ourselves), it defines the relationship we have with Him in the same way. We believe God is as half-hearted and thoughtless as we are.

Unfortunately, the same God who cared enough to leave His position in Heaven to experience life as we do occupies second place in our lives or is not present at all.

Fortunately, God is constantly in pursuit of a relationship with you. You just may be too preoccupied with the life He’s given you to notice Him until something goes wrong.

The Bible gives many accounts of God’s persistent desire to be in your life. Goodness and love follow you all the days of your life (Psalm 23:6). He is in pursuit of building a relationship with you and offering you the life He’s planned for you. If you don’t know Him, you resist His gifts and therefore never understand what is waiting for you.

He also wants you to be healthy and free of physical and mental weakness. God is the ultimate doctor and has a prescription to cure everything wrong in your life: sickness, suffering, burden, and sin. But you can’t receive healing if you’re always missing appointments. You’ll see the doctor when body parts are falling off, or you’re on the verge of death.

The good news is He’s always available; you don’t have to wait for an hour after your appointed time. He is never overbooked. He takes His time and handles you with care. And as a result, you’ll be returning for checkups just because of the way He treats you.

God loves you. Yes, you! But where is He in your heart and mind? He wants to connect with you, which is why He gives you a new heart and mind. To decline such an offer indicates He is not important in your life. To accept and not operate in the newness is to do the same.

As human beings, we have evolved in so many areas of life, but the one area that counts has not reached its capacity: our thinking and how it relates to God. Our lives are not our own; they belong to Him. Knowing this truth and operating in the power that’s been given through Christ encourages right thinking.

You have the ability to evolve in your thinking, but there are obstacles that may prevent it. Heart readiness is the primary issue. The mind cannot change if the heart is not ready. To believe you’re giving up who you are and trading yourself in for a lesser, watered-down version of yourself is incorrect. It’s just the opposite; God enhances whatever He touches.

There are many factors that affect our thought process negatively. Emotional matters of the heart—selfish ambition, envy, fear, and unforgiveness—are extremely harmful obstacles. These afflictions can be overcome but not by your own power.

The word of God has provided the remedy for all hindrances. It begins with an acceptance of Christ, which opens the heart to a thorough understanding of who He is and why He came. This acceptance is a choice that enables you to hear from Him and to have experiences with Him that will bring you wisdom and life.

It takes faith to believe in God. It takes maturity to carry out His word. However, these qualities do not signify a relationship with Him. He’s already chosen you. It’s you who must choose Him.

Is Jesus the true and living God? You could only know this if you seek Him wholeheartedly. He will answer. If you believe, knowing His heart and mind will draw you close to Him. He has provided the key to this knowledge in the Bible, as described in the new covenant and demonstrated in the Gospels.

Choice is what prevents you from achieving the greatest level of intimacy with God. With wisdom, you make better choices. The more you learn about someone, the more successful the relationship. God is the greatest part of who you are, and a desire to know Him is gaining a deeper awareness of your true self. Otherwise, that great part of you lies dormant in ignorance.

Upbringing and tradition can also prevent intimacy with God. You think you know about God, based on nurture, life experience, or intellect. True wisdom comes from God; therefore, you haven’t experienced life until you’ve included Him in it. An unwillingness to believe this only comes from fear of change.

The Bible is the only source where you can confidently receive the many answers of frequently asked questions about life and the Creator. If you approach it as a way of seeking truth, you will receive revelatory knowledge, and your own thought processes will begin to change.

When I began writing this book, I believed that my voice would not be heard without having any acceptable credentials to support what I was writing. But, it’s God who qualifies and justifies me to do His will. And it is the Spirit of God that encouraged me to share my story.

After receiving a new life in Christ, I now have a story to tell of the life I used to live without Him, of beliefs I used to have, and of things I thought I knew about God. He has changed my heart and mind through real-life experiences that allowed me to see Him clearly and understand His word.

Each word I write comes from my life and the word of God.

WHO IS GOD?

Matthew 16:15–17 NIV says, "‘Who do you say I